Substancial Purpose
by Athanay
Summary: A child is born in secret. She manages to persevere under extraordinary circumstances. But what happens when her presence creates glitches in the Matrix? R&R please!
1. Painful Youth

**Disclaimer:** By no means do I own the Matrix, Zion or any of the characters that are obviously from the movies. However, Camelai, Wyatt and Alidah are entirely © to me.

**Author's Note:** This is the first Matrix fan fiction I've ever posted online. If you think that the beginning is slow, allow me to assure you, the further it goes, the better it will get. Besides, you'd have to read the whole thing to understand it. 

Constructive criticism is appreciated. I'd really like some feedback so I know that I'm not wasting my time on this.

**_Substantial Purpose_**

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By Athanay

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**Chapter One:**

**Painful Youth**

"Come on, dear, we'd better get going."

"Oh, just a little while longer? She's so adorable!" The woman continued to watch over their six-month-old child who was contented in an elegant pram some feet away.

Her partner Wyatt chuckled. "Come along, Camelai. We can return later." His expression melted into an uneasily solemn one and his brown eyes grew dark as his brows were drawn together. "If we stay any longer they may get suspicious. It's a wonder they haven't figured out something's going on since we keep jacking in so often for no applicable reason."

Watching their baby girl from such a distance was difficult enough. Parents should have the right to hold their children and raise them on their own. In their case, that was impossible. They would undeniably be shunned and scolded if the crew of their ship were to be let in on the secret.

Camelai released a trembling sigh and took just one more look at her baby before stepping back from the bushes. Not another word was said as the couple turned and strolled briskly further away from their baby. Wyatt calmly wrapped his arm soothingly around Camelai. She demanded her thoughts would leave the topic of her daughter. Sniffing sudden tears away from her bright blue eyes, she took note of a nearby tree. It was like most of the others in the stunning park. The leaves were a bright green, healthy colour that swayed peacefully in the soft breeze. Pretty looking pink flowers also adorned the tree which managed to attract brightly coloured bees to collect the nectar within. The grass was just as green as the leaves with drops of dew on the blades that lingered since the early morning. Various species of birds lounged undisturbed on the thick branches, some tending to their nests. Indeed it was a marvellous day. It was a true wonder why most of the extensive park remained desolated. The empty park benches emitted a lonely feeling. The temperature was pleasant and the air smelled sweet. Spring was highly enchanting.

Too bad none of that was real. The bitter reminder entered Camelai's mind like a thunderbolt. The two made it out of the stunning park, still in silence. They looked both ways at a street and then crossed it, both listening to and concentrating on the upbeat sound of their footsteps as to not think of anything else. Their legs carried them both towards a tall nearby building that appeared as though it was in desperate need of a renovation. Wyatt's arm slid from Camelai's shoulders as he reached for the door. He opened it, allowing her in before him. He followed her inside after glancing around to make sure it the vicinity outside was safe. He scolded himself for not checking so previously. He may have otherwise endangered both his partner and himself. He would have to be more careful.

Minutes later, Camelai answered a ringing phone as did Wyatt precisely twenty seconds afterwards.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Her little hand clutched the little blue rattle. She had been shaking it energetically for the past few minutes and found great joy in doing so. Yet, she was still at a stage of learning how to release objects from her grip. She would often grasp her mother's finger tightly and refuse to let go. After all, she was only just getting the hang of using her rapidly strengthening muscles. She made a minor throwing gesture with her little chubby arm and released the rattle, although it was a slow action. Seeing her toy hit the ground with a clout and roll to a quiet stop made her entire face light up as she giggled. Her smile was enough to warm anybody's heart. "Alidah, are you trying to make me tired? I can't keep picking up your toys. You'll have to go pick it up yourself if you want it back." The young mother folded her arms and stared down at the baby.

Alidah returned the stare at her mother with gorgeous sparkling eyes that were so dark they were almost black. The woman sighed and failed in suppressing a smile. She wasn't able to resist the utter cuteness of her daughter. "Okay, okay, but this is the last time,"

Before she made a move, a dark stranger with long brown hair, a pair of conspicuous shades and completely black attire dashed past. In the process, his thick, heavy boot came into contact with the rattle and immediately snapped its handle off, destroying Alidah's treasured toy. The stranger, who smelled faintly of smoke and dust didn't seem to notice, therefore, it didn't bother him. "Hooligan," the mother muttered resentfully under her breath.

She took a step, attempting to reach the wrecked rattle when gunshots echoed throughout the area. "What is going on?" Glancing around and barely able to suppress her panicking, she couldn't see anyone.

Her question was short lived, as was she. More bullets were fired from the invisible source and instead of getting to the rebel they were meant for, they unavoidably hit Alidah's mother. Silence followed the obscene event. There were no more gunshots, no more bullets, not even a chirping bird. There were no more words, barely even a breath. The young women remained on her feet, frozen for the next passing seconds as it all sunk in. The poison of her pain slithered its way through her body and the colour drained from her face. It was impossible for her to battle the bullets encased in her dying form. Her vision blurred and swayed and her knees buckled from underneath her. Her limp body collapsed onto the path with an empty thud as her last breath was lost in haste. 

Her cold and lifeless hand knocked the baby's rattle as it fell beside her. The sphere of the broken toy was jolted by the nudge and was driven away from her body. It rolled its way down a bank and bounced slightly before plunging into a pond full of lilies with a slight splash.

The baby's alluring eyes filled with salty tears and her youthful sight was blurred. Maybe it was seeing her favourite toy destroyed and lost that set her off, or maybe it was seeing the woman killed by the bullets of a phantom. Only she knew and it was doubtful she would commit to memory which it was. 

The baby's desperate cries echoed relentlessly through the park, bringing out the pain, sorrow and loneliness in her heart.


	2. Gaze of Curiosity

**Author's Note:** I would have actually submitted this earlier, but alas, school has begun again. This will make things slow, but I'll get there. Hope I'm not leaving you wondering about what's going to happen next. ;)

Thank you, thank you for the reviews! x]

_"Siren"_; your assumption was correct. Yes, well, babies are always adorable. x] As for the nationality, I'm not sure…though it will be mentioned sooner or later…

_"Rainbow Girl"_; yes, I know, it may be a little confusing at this point, but throughout the story, all shall be explained! I'd also like to take this time out to thank you for your help with ideas on upcoming events. ;)

_"Selina Enriquez"_; Thank you! =] Also, I've read your Matrix stories and wow…you're really good! Can't wait to read what happens next. ;)

Alright then, on with the next chapter!

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**Chapter 2:**

**Gaze of Curiosity**

"You'd better take that back you pretentious snob!"

"I'd like to see you make me!"

With a furious snarl, the fifteen-year-old pounced at the offending boy before her. He had, much to her disappointment, expected the attack and moved aside hastily as to not get jumped. He was a fool not to know that it would make her angrier. 

The entire room of orphans gathered around the two to watch the argument. Many thought it was entertaining and clenched their fists, grinning and awaiting more action. Others cowered and sometimes covered their eyes only to turn their attention on Alidah and Cameron once more. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, they enjoyed the sudden injection of action. 

Without losing her equilibrium, Alidah gracefully turned and jumped at the boy again, this time tackling him hard onto the ground. By that point the guardians had undoubtedly heard the commotion and hurried to the crowded room to subdue the angry teens. They were too late. By the time they grabbed Alidah's powerful arms to drag her off Cameron; he was already crying out and clutching at his eye. As much as he wanted to fight back, he wasn't one to hit a girl, yet he couldn't entirely defend himself from her rage.

It took three guardians to successfully take a hold of Alidah and they nearly dragged her out of the room into one of the bedrooms. Even so, her violent struggling and kicking hindered their apprehension, not to mention yelling numerous profanities made their ears ring with frustration.

 Alidah was more often a pleasant child. She was kind, caring and was always willing to listen. Unfortunately, sometimes, her anger got out of hand. But nobody was perfect. Yet when Alidah was angry, she was a whirlwind. It was frequently simple to irritate her but it was a lot more difficult attempting to calm her down. As soon as any one of the other orphans brought up the bitter topic of her family or past there was trouble. The majority of those situations were effortlessly sorted out but Cameron had overstepped the boundary. For once it was he that picked a fight with Alidah because he wished to pursue the sensitive topic that so often set her off. It was always hard for the orphans to come to terms that they had no family, but she took it as an insult. She was convinced that she wasn't meant to have a family; that she was meant to be alone. Many thought it was actually easier that way. They tattled behind her back, gossipping that no family would be able to handle Alidah. As long as these vicious rumours weren't heard, nobody got hurt. Cameron was asking for a dilemma.

The girl was sat down on her bed and scolded while being gripped by her wrist. A finger was disapprovingly shaken at her face. "We won't tolerate anymore of this, Alidah! You can't go around tussling with anyone who talks about something you're not comfortable with,"

Alidah's expression loosened and became blank. Her eyes concentrated on the guardian. "He started it." She said in a voice that was far too calm.

Her wrist was immediately released. It was never safe to provoke her when she was like that. Her tone was too even and her cold, empty stare simply hinted the thought of danger. One guardian with a nametag that read 'Rose' left the room, most likely to tend to Cameron's wounds. "I don't care who started it, Missy. You are to stay here and rethink your behaviour." And that was the end of it.

The guardians knew better than to continue their scolding when Alidah's anger was at that temperamental stage. It would only induce further aggression. The two remaining guardians briskly exited the room, shutting the door after them. Alidah sat where she was placed and a sly smile sprung to her lips. She was very much amused with herself. She knew nobody could change her personality or flaws and she was very proud of it all. Besides, there seemed to be no other form of entertainment she was allowed to experience in the orphanage.

The door edged open and Jordan stepped in. "Jordi, what's the word?" Alidah greeted her casually.

Glancing back at the other children, Jordan walked into the room and quietly closed the door. "Why do you keep this up?"

Alidah's expression relaxed and she flashed a grin. "I'm just having fun. Besides, I can't help it. It's the way I am and nothing will change me."

Jordan stood in front of her friend, leaning on the beige wall with her hands deep in her pockets. "So you keep saying. But most of us don't understand why you take this so offensively. None of us have a family we can go to, so how are you any different?" Alidah's silence, which usually meant that she was listening, encouraged her to go on. "What would your mother think if she saw you behaving like you are?"

"Oh, you mean the woman who abandoned me?" She smirked curtly and rose to her feet, walking over to her bedside table.

Jordan rolled her eyes. "Don't start this again, Ally.  Don't you have any respect? You weren't abandoned. Do I really have to keep reminding you? You were brought to the orphanage by a cop who found you in the park. Your mother was killed there. You're lucky you were even found or you would have perished with her." She had a habit of being direct, but accompanying that was the fact that her forward way of speech was useful and influential.

Alidah kept her eyes averted as she brushed her long, wavy brown hair with a round, wooden-handled brush. "She wasn't my mother." Her tone was serious again.

A sigh from Jordan was heard. "Fine, then, the woman you gave birth to you and raised you for six months."

Alidah turned and glanced sternly at her friend. "All right, all right, but whether you like it or not, she was your mother; even if she was only a surrogate mother." Jordan concluded.

The brush was coolly set back down onto the bedside table as Alidah shared her opinion. "I guess my biological parents must have had a good reason to choose surrogacy. But what I want to know is why they didn't raise me after I was born."

There was an awkward pause when Alidah sat down again. Jordan was the first to break the silence. "There's probably a good reason for that as well. Maybe where they were from it was illegal to have a baby before being married and they desperately wanted one to make their lives feel complete, even if it meant not being able to raise you themselves."

Alidah's almost black eyes flickered with a negligible blue blaze.

Jordan was almost too close to the truth.


	3. An Unwelcome Encounter

**Author's Note:** It's been a while since I updated, but at least this chapter's much longer.

"_Selina_"; It is indeed a special name. It could be Arabic, but I'm aiming for Latin because it seems to fit.

Once again, thank you with the lovely reviews! =]

Real Things is © to Javine

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**Chapter 3:**

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**An Unwelcome Encounter**

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She never stayed in that bedroom for long. In any case, she never stayed in any one place for long. She was always fidgeting, constantly moving around from room to room, without a solid or planned purpose or goal. Action was of a high importance. She had to be doing something, no matter how annoying or frustrating. Although being scolded occurred strenuously often, it would never deter Alidah from committing her misbehaviours. After isolation, she would come out of the room only to misbehave yet again. It was one of her many hobbies.

Following the discussion of Alidah's lost family, the two girls left the room within a few minutes. As many of the other orphans had realised, Alidah would be quick to anger at those who even brought up the sensitive subject, yet when Jordan wished to speak about it, Alidah would allow her to and would calmly and quietly listen. It was no big surprise. Jordan and Alidah had been the closest of friends ever since they first met in the tiny orphanage which was when they were both still in diapers. Through the hard times and bad, they'd stuck together as if connected by glue.

The young girl strolled reluctantly up to the boy she had harmed before her initial lecture which had been anything but durable. She glanced at Jordan once and briefly, and then avoided eye contact. Alidah appeared uncomfortable until she faced Cameron. "I'm sorry, Cameron." Her expression was not sympathetic yet it wasn't intimidating either. This was progress. The expression was warning, cautious, but her eyes displayed uncertainty.

"It's okay," Cameron waved his hand, dismissing the incident and accepting the apology. "I guess I was asking for it." He grinned to himself in a playful manner, his green eyes glittering even through the swelling from the punch.

His reaction was kind. He had a tolerance for such things and holding grudges was not one of his best traits. Alidah's reaction to his dismissal shone with her true nature. Her eyes slightly narrowed at him while she stared coolly and untrustingly into his eyes. As everyone else she had ever come into contact to, he gave in under the scrutiny of her gaze. She had the unyielding ability to stare anybody down. It fed her hungry ego. It was her strength.

Alidah's strengths were always somewhat mysterious. Some suddenly popped out of nowhere while others hung around ever since she grew into the teenager she was. Her strengths intimidated almost everybody and she was insanely proud of them. Her weaknesses further exposed her to weakness. Those who knew her knew well of her main weakness and praised the Gods for it because it alerted them to the fact that Alidah was not perfect. Perfection frightened them. Sometimes her weakness frightened them even more. Her eyes, which were so brown they reflected as black and were partially stained brightly from light that fell on them, were her betrayal. They had a way of showcasing her emotions in such a powerful way that it would make others want to weep from the intensity. She was not the sort of person who would be expected to carry such a distinctive trait. Her overall personality radiated a mystery; an enigma wrapped in a solid case. Her eyes were the clear, all too thick windows into that enigma. More difficult it was for those who wished not to be aware of her harsh sentiments as whenever they looked into her eyes, they would see them clearly and untainted.

Her feet carried her past one of the lounge rooms of that building into a kitchen. As she passed two other teens, Lucy and Marshall, something stirred unexplainably.

Marshall, who resided on a heavy tanned couch, raised an eyebrow at his glass. "Hey," he nudged Lucy, who sat quietly beside him and read through a magazine.

"What?" Lucy's brows furrowed in annoyance, darkening her hazel coloured eyes.

"Didn't I have half a glass of cordial?" His eyes concentrated on the glass, never leaving it.

"Yeah, so what if you did?" She didn't seem to care.

"Well, now I have a full glass."

Lucy's eyes finally left the pink dominated magazine and fell onto the glass of orange cordial which, was indeed, full. "That's like freaky. Are you sure it was half full? Oh, why am I even asking? I'm sure it was half full. You go through cordial like ants are drawn to sugar." She grinned in amusement of her comparison.

Marshall rolled his eyes in vain. "But how did it refill if nobody touched it?"

The girl raised her eyebrows in defeat and returned to her magazine. "Who cares? Just be happy that you have more cordial to drink. We're running out of it anyway, so make the most of it."

Finally he gave in and shrugged, taking the drink into his hand and pressing the cool glass against his lips, sipping his favourite liquid. The query about the mystery left his mind as he was indulged in the pleasantly cold beverage. After gulping down the extra half, he turned back to Lucy and stared at the magazine in her hands, bemused. "How can you even read all that rubbish?"

"It's not rubbish!"

"Oh! Turn it up, I love this song!" Alidah suddenly requested.

All who were within hearing range quietened down, knowing smiles appearing gradually on their lips as they turned to watch Alidah jog to the slick black music player on the stand in the corner. Through a sly grin, she fumbled with one of the knobs on the surface until the volume of the radio was raised. The beat pounded and echoes through the kitchen and connecting rooms. The orphans smiled brightly at each other and moved from their seats into the kitchen, dancing and moving creatively to the sound of the song.

Alidah rose onto the stand and then hopped onto a wooden table nearby. Stomping one foot down, a spoon which once lay untouched, jumped at the motion and she immediately snatched it.

The children danced as the song progressed and the joy shone on their faces when Alidah raised the head of the spoon to her mouth and began to sing along to the radio. As the teens laughed and listened, the guardians sat back, smiling and watching the spectacle. The situation was all too familiar. It should have been stopped as it was causing a lot of noise and disruption, but if they were to prevent Alidah from performing, they'd never hear the end of it. "How can I make you see? The real things in life are free. We all need someone that can show you what true love is, that'll never let you down; to tell you that they love you and always be around!"

The song kicked off and the teens, especially Alidah, were enjoying the moment. Nothing could ruin it. "You could be the hottest, you could be the finest; it don't matter to me. You could be the baddest, be the most stylish, you could be rolling in the money. It don't matter what you got. If your heart is out of love you could be the hottest you could be the finest it don't matter to me."

Alidah was incredibly skilled with her voice. She had no fear in expressing it to her fullest capabilities. Her sheer presence reeked of confidence and her belief in what she was able to do. There was nothing that could stop her. "I don't mind pretty things, wouldn't mind a diamond ring, but trust me; I'll be tripling and take what life brings. I gotta do what I do aside, but do what feels right. I just wanna keep it real; that's just how I feel. It's not about the J-O-B but the R-E-S-P-E-C-T. How can I make you see? The real things in life are free,"

A split second seized the moment and broke it. An extreme knock on the front door ended the entertainment abruptly and startled Alidah. Her vocal performance discontinued as her hand released the spoon in a reflex. Everybody froze. The kitchen utensil fell and dropped onto the floor with a slight twang and at that exact moment, the radio was off.

Time seemed to flow in slow motion until the guardians rose to their feet and rushed the orphans into order. "Alidah, get off the table, now." They sternly demanded.

The young girl grimaced and hopped off and narrowed her questioning eyes at the large room window beside the front door. Three heavy shadows guarded the entrance and waited for the promise of an open door. The other children were now hushed and uncomfortable at the sudden quiet and tense atmosphere. For Alidah it seemed strange how things could suddenly be altered so quickly.

A few of the boys went out the back to kick around the football while some of the girls went into their rooms to read. These were the excuses. They were intensely curious to know who was at the front door and what they wanted of the usually quiet and tranquil orphanage. Yet they were unwilling to cause the trouble of asking or waiting around the front hall to find out. Alidah however was different. She desired to acquire the information she sought. Her and Jordan exchanged composed glances and the ever curious Alidah walked casually far behind Rose, the head guardian.

The young one stood back and leaned on one of the pillars inside the hall, a fair few feet from the entry to the home stay. Her arms folded on her chest and she tilted her head, awaiting explanation. Rose carefully unlocked the door and allowed it to edge open to reveal three middle aged men clad in dark suits with matching ties and conspicuous sunglasses which entirely covered their eyes. Confidence radiated from the doorway. The curly cord of earpieces caught Alidah's attention. Just who were they working for?

The man on the very left was the tallest. He appeared the least threatening. He reminded Alidah of a secretary that would constantly follow somebody around, take notes and agree on every word said. The man on the very right was the shortest. He also appeared to be the youngest out of the three and reminded her of a pet which also followed somebody around, but stared, especially if that somebody had a desired food.

The one man in the middle left Alidah feeling the most curious about. He wasn't short but was somewhat tall. He looked very experienced and it was obvious that he was the one in charge; the boss. One wrong step from the other two and they'd no longer have a job.

Jordan and Lucy gradually appeared beside Alidah. Her eyes didn't wander from the three robust men at the door. She examined them under further scrutiny, her lips drawn into a subconscious pout and her eyes narrowed ominously. "Who are they?" Jordan wondered out loud.

"That's what I'd like to know," Alidah's monotone voice was unnerving to the point of discomfort at its potency.

"So, how many times is it that they've been here?" Lucy was reminded of the other times the men had shown up at the orphanage without a clear purpose or contention.

"I'd say about twice this year." Alidah's thoughtful reply erased her pout.

"They sure do look interesting, though. Who do you think they work for?"

"I was wondering the same thing myself. They're so uptight I can barely stand watching them for so long. They probably don't have girlfriends or wives to loosen them up." The young rogue smirked at the thought.

Her smirk was contagious and soon the other girls had caught it, too. There was a moment's pause during which the girls attempted listening into the muffled conversation between Rose and the mysterious stranger in the middle. His voice, from what they could tell, was incredibly deep and stern. Even Rose appeared to be daunted by his vocalization patterns. Without warning, Jordan giggled uncontrollably, using her hand to visibly cover her snigger. Lucy and Alidah both proceeded to smile and stare questioningly at their friend. "What?"

Jordan gathered herself together before replying so that her words wouldn't be inaudible. Therefore, she would not be asked to repeat herself. "The one in the middle looks kind of cute,"

Alidah's mischievous grin faded as she glanced at Lucy and then turned her head to gaze at the man to which Jordan felt effusive about. Preventing her eyes from narrowing once again, she presented the suited man in the middle with an obnoxious and blank stare. She really couldn't see what Jordan found so interesting about him. Her thoughts and assessments were halted to a standstill when a miniscule movement in the man's head turned his gaze to Alidah. He had entered himself into her stare down. However, the event was interrupted by an unexpected reaction from Alidah. A grin progressively materialized on her lips and she looked back at Jordan. Throughout her entire life, it was the first time she had ever been the one to look away first. "I don't know, he looks kind of old. I mean, look at his hair; it's receding."

With the silly smile plastered on her face, she glanced back at him, almost relieved to see that she was no longer the object of his attention. "He is kinda cute, though; in a reticent sort of way."

Lucy scoffed. "You guys have such bad taste! I like the shorter one. He's adorable!"

The other two both stared at her as if she was a locust. "The shortest one? But, he's short,' Alidah's implicating tone didn't require any further explanation.

"Ally, I don't even want to know what you're thinking," Lucy staunchly defended her youthful outlook, stifling a giggle.

The tense discussion at the unexpectedly darkened doorway was drawn to an end as Rose shut the door. Lucy and Jordan scuttled away into the kitchen but Alidah remained at her post. Rose sighed and turned around, unpredictably facing Alidah. Before Rose could even bring out a scold, the young one exerted her appeal for knowledge. "What did they want?"

Not surprised at the orphan's curiosity, Rose gathered her scattered mind. "The same thing they always want. They keep asking if anything unusual has happened here and they always get the same answer; that I haven't noticed anything. Let's just hope it's longer before they come around here again. Those guys give me the willies."

For her old age, Rose certainly still spoke like a teen. Alidah guessed that it helped her understand the situation of the orphans. Albeit she considered that Rose should gracefully act her age. A good-humoured smirk covered Alidah's expression as she turned and headed towards the kitchen. Upon entering the almost empty room, she waved her hand in dismissal at Jordan and Lucy. "Same old, same old." She sighed.

"We have to find out what's really going on." Lucy announced.

"And how is that? We hide in their suitcases?" Alidah's sarcasm left much to be desired.

"They don't have any suitcases," she mumbled in reply and was met with a pathetic look from her friend.

"You know, Ally," Jordan began.

"Oh, here we go. I think I know what's coming." She rolled her eyes and sat herself down on a dining chair.

"You do this every time, but you know we have a point. It's worth trying anything when you have nothing to lose." Jordan's philosophical knowledge gave her the upper hand.

"If you started considering it, you'd have just over two weeks to prepare. We all know you have talent, _you_ know you have talent. Did you ever wonder why you were named 'Alidah'?"

"No, but I do know that you're about to tell me," Alidah averted her eyes from Jordan; a sign that she was readily listening.

"It's a Latin name that means 'little winged one'. It means that your parents somehow knew that you were destined to or that you _will_ fly far with what you set your mind to. You only have to try. And I'm not the only one who thinks you should strive. Look, I mean, Rose can take us down to the park for the live radio event. You just have to have some backing music ready so that you can show them what you can do."

The modish subject matter of Alidah's prominent voice was less than amusing for her. There was a lengthy pause in which she seemed to be frozen in her seat. Suddenly she turned and her eyes scanned the ground. "Where's the spoon I dropped?"

A knowing smile crossed Jordan's features. She had won. Alidah only ever changed the subject when she gave in and she had just presented Jordan with a considerable subject alteration. However, Alidah didn't swiftly decide to change the issue, she spoke her mind. She had remembered dropping the utensil during the immediate slam against the door. Nobody had picked it up or put it away afterwards. It had, for a choice of a better word, vanished.

Outside, the three looming shadows conversed in the containment of their black Audi. "Are you certain you were not mistaken?" The almost robotic speech was sharp and demanding, aggressive at the hint of a hiccup.

The tallest male figure was instantly shot a warning glance by the obvious leader. "I am positively certain. The glitch occurred in that building." His speech was less forced. It sounded almost natural. His voice was another matter. It was incredibly deep and rich; exceptionally masculine.

At a brief instant, the three men raised their hands to the earpieces located inside their ears and silence intruded the dark vehicle. A strict order broke the nearly lifeless locality. "The source of the malfunction must be located and taken care of."


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